Fatal Three
by presea221
Summary: After a life of tragedy, Ivy Harrison believes that she has finally found love and stability again when she starts dating Zane Truesdale during her first year at Duel Academy. But when certain events cause their relationship to fall apart, it becomes apparent that a certain pro duelist is not just Zane's rival when it comes to dueling... (ZanexOC and AsterxOC)
1. Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly in a cloudless blue sky above Domino City. People roamed the sidewalks leisurely, happy to be enjoying a brief respite from their daily schedules on such a beautiful Sunday afternoon. However, not everyone was able to relax today. Inside of one of Kaiba Corporation's buildings, many potential students wishing to join the illustrious Duel Academy were hard at work trying to pass their entrance exams that would grant them admittance into the school.

Inside the building, there were over a dozen teenagers having their practical dueling examinations against the testing proctors from the academy. All around the room, holograms of duel monsters flashed into and out of view while the electronic sounds of the duel disks echoed everywhere.

"No. 11, Ivy Harrison, please make your move or forfeit the duel." The proctor said patiently to the short wispy-looking girl across from him.

Ivy glanced down nervously at the cards in her hand. She had to brush the long uneven ends of her dark green hair away from her face to be able to see properly.

 _Everything I already have on the field is enough for me to win, but his facedown cards could change everything. If I can just draw THAT card, then everything will be alright! Absolutely everything depends on this draw!_ Ivy thought to herself desperately, knowing that if she failed here, it was all over and there would be no chance to get out of what would be waiting for her outside of the academy.

"It's my turn! I draw!" Ivy said nervously. Closing her eyes tightly and sending a silent prayer to the heavens above, she drew a card from her deck.

When she dared to take a look at the card that she had just drawn, Ivy's sky blue eyes lit up with relief. _Yes! This is it!_ She thought to herself triumphantly.

"Okay, first, I will activate the effect of my field spell, Aroma Garden, raising my lifepoints by another 500 points! This brings Aromage Bergamot's attack points up to 3900! Now, I will enter my battle phase, but before I attack, I activate the spell card, Anti-Magic Arrows, from my hand! This protects me from any of your facedown spell or trap cards' effects, and there is no way for you to prevent Anti-Magic Arrows' effect from working! And now, I attack your monster with Aromage Bergamot! She can even cause damage to your lifepoints against a defense position monster as long as my lifepoints are higher than yours!" Ivy explained all of this very quickly, as if she was afraid that her move would somehow be interrupted if she didn't rush through everything.

 **Ivy- 3000 LP Test Proctor-0 LP**

"Nice work, No. 11. You have now passed all of the entrance exams. Welcome to Duel Academy." The testing proctor congratulated Ivy.

"Thank you for duel, sir. I promise to work hard once I get to school!" Ivy said sincerely as she bowed her head formally to the proctor. She couldn't believe that she had finally made it. Everything would be alright now.

Unbeknownst to Ivy, there was a small audience that had been observing her duel intently the whole time. Two people stood on the balcony high above the dueling arena. One was a tall boy with dark blue hair and eyes who had silently watched the duel with his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face. The other was a girl with long blonde hair and brown eyes who had looked on with mild interest, occasionally making comments during the duel. They were both wearing the signature Obelisk Blue dormitory uniforms, symbolizing their status as the highest ranking duelists at the academy.

"That was a pretty good duel. She won that pretty quickly while keeping most of her lifepoints intact. And to score 11th place on the written exam is certainly nothing to sneeze at. What do you think, Zane?" The girl asked.

"She's skilled, I'll give her that. But you have overlooked the obvious problem here, Alexis. She was too nervous. She played that duel as if her life depended on it, and that is not normal, even for this place. The facedown cards gave her too much anxiety, and that can cause a duelist to make some grave errors. Just what would she have done if she hadn't drawn Anti-Magic Arrows at the last moment when she needed them? If she can get over her fears, she will be good competition. As it stands, though…" Zane explained carefully.

"That's funny. I thought you had no competition, Zane!" Alexis said teasingly.

"I wasn't necessarily implying that she was competition for me." Zane replied with a wry smile.

"Either way, I'm interested in getting to know more about Ivy. I'll try to talk to her once we are all back on the island again. She looks like she could use some friends here." Alexis said thoughtfully.

Xxx

It had been a few hours since the new students had arrived at Duel Academy and received their dormitory assignments, but Ivy still couldn't believe the size and grandeur of the Obelisk Blue's girl dormitory building. From the outside, it resembled a castle, and the sheer size of her new room and all of its furniture were far larger than anything she had ever had.

"Need a hand with that?" Alexis asked Ivy casually as she struggled to lock the outside door to her room.

Ivy turned around and smiled gratefully at Alexis. "Yeah, that would be great. This key just doesn't seem to want to turn the right way. It's annoying, but I sure wish I could have had this for my room back at home!" Ivy said ruefully.

"The trick is to sort of leave it halfway in while you turn it. Here, let me show you." Alexis said. After Ivy handed her the key, Alexis quickly locked the door, demonstrating the process.

"Thanks! You're a lifesaver! If everyone here is as helpful as you, then I think I'll get used to living here pretty easily." Ivy said.

"You probably can, but don't expect everyone to offer you this kind of assistance during a duel, including me. By the way, I'm Alexis Rhodes. I'm in the room next door to yours, so feel free to stop by if you ever need anything. Or even if you just want to talk." Alexis said kindly as she held out her hand for Ivy to shake.

Ivy smiled at Alexis and shook her hand. "Thanks! I'm Ivy Harrison. I still feel a little lost here since I probably didn't have the kind of preparation for this that most of the other Obelisk Blues did. I thought that this dorm was for people who had had more…formal training when it came to Duel Monsters. So, I'm surprised they let me in here. And just why is there only a girls' dorm for Obelisk Blue? I mean, there's got to be some girls who aren't good at all of this, right?" Ivy half-joked.

"I don't know the specifics, but I think the real problem is that there aren't enough female students every year to fill up three separate buildings, so they just did this instead. There probably are some of us who are more on the Ra Yellow end at least, but since nobody really seems to think about it with all of us being in the same dorm, it's sort of an unspoken topic. It all comes back down to the owner of this school. Seto Kaiba thought that it was a good idea to divide everybody up like this, but he didn't stop to think about the technicalities. Either way, the ranks don't mean anything to me. I'm just as willing to accept that a Ra or a Slifer can be a good duelist, too." Alexis explained.

"That sounds about right. I agree with you about the ranks, though. We should all just duel without worrying about who is an Obelisk Blue or whatever. Way to build up people's egos and hurt us from making new friends. I'm glad you are not like that. I'm gonna go for a walk now. Do you want to come with me?" Ivy asked.

"A walk? At this hour?" Alexis asked skeptically.

"It's only for a few minutes. I just need a little fresh air after being stuck inside for so long today with the tests and orientation." Ivy said reassuringly.

Alexis looked like she wanted to protest, but she quickly changed her mind before replying. "Well…okay. Just be careful. This island is bigger than it looks, so you should make sure not to go too far, especially in the dark." She cautioned.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll see you later then." Ivy said with a wave as she walked off.

Xxx

Ivy walked around the coast of the island at a leisurely pace. There was something very relaxing about being alone out here at night, away from the mass of students and teachers. She hadn't had this kind of freedom for idle leisure time for some time in her life and she wanted to take full advantage of it.

 _Oh, cool! There's even a lighthouse!_ Ivy thought to herself excitedly. She rushed over to it, eager to get a closer look at the swinging beams of light in the darkness.

Ivy was so busy admiring her surroundings that she was completely unprepared when a tall figure suddenly emerged from behind the other side of the lighthouse and stood directly in front of her.

"What are you doing out here!? You shouldn't be out here at night." Zane said angrily.

Ivy stopped short, startled to see someone else all the way out here. The boy was a good deal taller than her and wearing one of the trademark Obelisk Blue uniforms. For a moment, Ivy was stunned into silence. Despite the hard expression he wore on his face, she had to admit that he was the hottest guy she had ever seen before. But that wasn't stopping him from giving off a bad first impression right now. This guy sounded like he thought he was some bigshot upperclassman who believed that he could order anyone around. Ivy had dealt with bullies before and she wasn't going to let herself be intimidated.

"What do you mean!? I have every right to be out here and it's not like you're a teacher, so I don't have to listen to you!" Ivy said defiantly as she glared at Zane.

"That's true, but I can still report you for being out after hours if I have to." Zane replied.

 _I don't believe this guy!_ Ivy thought to herself in irritation.

"Look, I just needed a few minutes of fresh air, that's all. I don't see what the big deal is here. And besides, if I'm not supposed to be out here right now, then what are you doing here!?" Ivy demanded.

"That is none of your concern." Zane said coldly.

"Well, if you won't give me any kind of explanation, then don't just expect me to do what you say." Ivy said in annoyance.

"Look, I'm not trying to be unreasonable here. But it really isn't a good idea to be out here at night. Just trust me on that. I don't want to have to report you, so please just go back to your dorm. You're not far from it, and if you're lost, I can walk you back if you want." Zane offered.

 _Okay, so maybe he's not a total jerk after all._ Ivy thought to herself.

"That's okay. I can get back myself. I'll leave now. One word of advice, though: You don't need to hide out here and give students a heart attack by popping up out of nowhere like that. Not that I was scared, mind you. I'm just saying." Ivy said nonchalantly.

For a moment, Ivy caught the faintest trace of a smile on Zane's face. But then he went right back to the same impassive expression he had been wearing throughout almost their entire conversation.

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Just don't let me catch you out here again." Zane replied.

"Yeah, sure. Later." Ivy said as she walked away, eager to put as much distance as she could between herself and this guy.

 _What a weirdo._ Ivy thought to herself.

Xxx

"Where were you!? It's been over an hour!" Alexis asked worriedly as she met Ivy in the hallway of their rooms.

"Great. You too? I was just fine and enjoying a nice walk until this…weird guy hanging around the lighthouse gave me the third degree. He was all, "You shouldn't be out here at night! I'll have to report you!" and blah, blah, blah. Anyway, it was really annoying and I'm just glad that it's over now. Sorry for worrying you. I'm pretty tired now, so I'm going to try to get some sleep now. I'll see you tomorrow." Ivy explained tiredly.

Alexis had to stop herself from smiling. _Yeah, that definitely sounds like Zane!_ She thought to herself in amusement.

"Sounds like an upperclassman alright. I'm just glad you're okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night." Alexis said.

Xxx

An hour later, Ivy was staring at the ceiling as she lay in bed, still unable to sleep after the day's excitement.

 _I'm finally here. The hard part is over, and I don't need to worry about anything for a few years now. And either way, I don't have to go back to where I was before now. Everything should be fine now._ Ivy tried to reassure herself.

Trying to distract herself from thoughts about the past, Ivy thought of everything that had happened since she took the dueling exam at the Kaiba Corp. building this morning. Surprisingly, out of everything that had happened from then until now, she found her mind inadvertently wandering to the strange boy she had argued with at the lighthouse just an hour earlier. She was curious to know just what he had been doing there himself, but at the same time, Ivy didn't think she could handle anything weirder than what she had just witnessed from that encounter.


	2. Chapter 2

One week had passed since Ivy had started living at Duel Academy. She had learned her way around campus well enough to avoid being late for classes. And the classes themselves were easy enough as long as she gave herself enough time to study a little in the library every night. Ivy was still wary of spending too much time outside after dark unless it was to back and forth between her dorm and the library. As curious as she was about him, Ivy didn't want to risk another run-in with Zane, or as she liked to call him: Weird Lighthouse Guy. Instead of worrying about him, Ivy spent a lot of time after class with Alexis instead. Overall, everything seemed to be working out pretty well in Ivy's life. The only thing that she was struggling with was the assignment duels against other students. Ivy had initially thought that she wouldn't get nervous about losing once she had passed the test to get into Duel Academy, but the same problem was starting to happen again. Whenever she was in a position where it looked like her opponent could make a big comeback against her (particularly, by their facedown cards), Ivy found herself freezing up and passing her turn instead of attacking, usually costing her a match. And now the same situation was playing out again…

"Are you gonna make your move or what, little girl!? Because believe me, there are a LOT of people that I still want to beat today and I have no time for chumps like you who would rather just sit here and stare at their cards all day! Hurry up already!" The bratty boy with unruly spiky black hair complained to Ivy.

"You got her on the ropes now, Chazz!" One of the boy's sidekicks jeered.

"Yeah! I bet she doesn't even remember that this is a duel!" Sidekick #2 joked.

Ivy was about ready to bang her head against the dueling platform in frustration. The whole duel had been like this. Chazz had basically insulted her the whole time and his stupid cronies were almost just as annoying. Ivy hated to admit it, but at this point, she would actually find dueling Weird Lighthouse Guy more bearable than this jerk.

For what seemed like the millionth time, Ivy looked at Chazz's side of the dueling field. He had no monsters, but the three facedown cards in his spell/trap zone worried her. All sorts of horrible possibilities came to her mind about what they could be and she didn't have a lot of lifepoints left. If she took a chance and attacked now, she could win the game. But she was just too afraid.

 _I should wait at least one more turn to see if I can draw something that will help me deal with all of this. I already have three monsters, so it's not like he can win anytime soon when he doesn't even have one!_ Ivy mentally reassured herself.

"Well!?" Chazz snapped impatiently.

"I…end my turn." Ivy said.

"Heh, I knew it! You'll regret that move, if you can even call it that! It's my turn! I draw! Now, I summon Cithonian Soldier in attack position! Next, I activate my spell card, Lightning Vortex! By discarding one card from my hand, it allows me to destroy all of your face-up monsters!" Chazz said.

Ivy silently cursed to herself as she watched her monsters disappear from the field. The very worst possible scenario was playing out before her eyes.

"And now, I attack with Cithonian Soldier!" Chazz said triumphantly.

 **Ivy- 0 Chazz- 1500**

"I win! You call yourself Obelisk Blue!? Maybe you should be in Slifer Red with all of the other amateurs, because anyone should be able to avoid rookie mistakes like that. Here's a piece of advice: If you had attacked me, you might have been able to win. But it really doesn't matter. Either way, you had no chance against the Chazz!" Chazz said nastily.

"Chazz it up! Chazz it up!" Chazz's two cronies chanted.

Ivy angrily shoved her deck back into her pocket and stalked away from the dueling platform in silence, her face burning in humiliation.

Xxx

"It is always the same thing and I'm worried that I'm going to get kicked out of here if I don't start winning more!" Ivy said in frustration to Alexis. It was a day later now and Ivy had just finished recalling her disastrous duel with Chazz to Alexis as they had lunch in the school cafeteria.

Alexis looked thoughtful. "From what you've told me about all of your duels so far, it's clear that the problem isn't your dueling skills. You just end up getting too nervous whenever it looks like your opponent could make a comeback and forget key points about what you should or shouldn't do. And you have to keep in mind that you were facing someone who is pretty skilled." She explained carefully.

"I need to know more about what to do during the duels! The classes are easy, but I feel like they don't help at all when it comes to making decisions! What I need is someone who can sit down with me and really explain all of this to me. No. Not just somebody. I need, like, the best duelist here! Well, as long as they are not a jerk." Ivy explained, adding the last part of her request in quickly because she was terrified that it would be Chazz or someone else equally awful. For a moment, she was hopeful. Maybe the best non-jerky duelist at the academy was Alexis herself and she would take the time to help her.

"The best we have? Well… I do happen to know that duelist, so I will ask him if he is interested in tutoring a student." Alexis said.

"And you're sure he's not a jerk?" Ivy asked cautiously.

"Not a jerk, I promise. Just keep in mind that he takes all of this extremely serious, so make sure that you don't ever let your mind wander in front of him if you can help it." Alexis said.

"Don't worry, I won't. Believe me; I'm going to take all the help I can get! Thanks, Alexis! I owe you one!" Ivy said gratefully.

"Sure. I'll let you know once everything is set up." Alexis said.

Xxx

"Would you consider tutoring a friend of mine about dueling if you have the time, Zane?" Alexis asked. She knew that it was better to get straight to the point when it came to asking Zane about anything.

Zane looked cautious. "It depends. Is this friend of yours male or female?" He asked.

"She's a girl." Alexis admitted reluctantly, knowing where this was going.

"Then no." Zane said firmly.

Over the two years that he had been at Duel Academy, Zane had had more than enough bad experiences with girls who had claimed that they needed his help with dueling advice or classwork. It was always the same thing. They would spend the whole time just staring at him in a daze and not listening to a word he said. Eventually, he would have to quit the sessions completely, always ending with, "I'm sorry, but since you are not serious about this, I can't help you anymore." But they never seemed to mind. It was as if they were happy just to have had a chance to spend any time alone with him at all. Classes were already ridiculous enough. Zane was unable to go anywhere in the school building without being seen by groups of girls who would stop to point at him while whispering and giggling to each other excitedly. Zane had eventually come to believe that the only sane female student at this school was Alexis herself.

"She's not like that, I promise. Heck, I don't think that she even knows who you are. She can be a good duelist with the right kind of help, so please?" Alexis practically begged, not wanting to let Ivy down.

"Alright, fine. I'll see what I can do. You can introduce me to her tomorrow night if that is good for her. I'll be in the library around eight." Zane said, praying that he wouldn't regret his decision.

"Thanks! I'm sure you guys will get along just fine!" Alexis said with a knowing smile.

Xxx

"Isn't this a little…late for tutoring?" Ivy asked Alexis somewhat nervously as she followed her to the school library. It wasn't that she was afraid of guys, but at the same time, she hadn't even thought about what it would feel like to spend time alone in a dimly-lit library with one after dark.

"Late? It's only eight 'o clock! And you were the one who said that this time was okay for you. If you're worried that he's a weirdo, then trust me when I say that that couldn't be further from the truth." Alexis reassured Ivy.

"Okay. I guess I'm just nervous." Ivy said.

After entering the library, Alexis quickly found Zane sitting at one of the tables next to the windows.

"Okay, I've brought Ivy. Try to go easy on her, alright Zane?" Alexis said in greeting.

Ivy was horrified. Out of everything that she had worried about tonight, it had never once occurred to her that she would be seeing HIM again.

"Oh, no! Not that Weird Lighthouse Guy again!" Ivy blurted out before realizing just how rude she sounded.

Zane turned to Alexis. "Is this your idea of a joke?" He asked her.

"Only if you think it's funny!" Alexis joked weakly.

"Whatever." Zane said dismissively before turning back to Ivy.

"First of all, my name is Zane, Zane Truesdale, not "Weird Lighthouse Guy", so I would appreciate it if you did not refer to me as the latter or anything else. And second of all, if you have a problem with me being the one to try to help you, please say so now so that we can stop wasting each other's time" Zane said coolly.

"Um…yeah. Sorry about that. I swear, I didn't mean to say that! I was just surprised that it was you. But I really do want your help, so can we just sort of forget that ever happened?" Ivy asked awkwardly.

"Fair enough. Now, please have a seat so that we can get started." Zane said.

"I think I'll leave you guys alone so that you can get to work! I'll see you later, Ivy!" Alexis said cheerfully as she walked away.

 _No, wait! Please don't go…_ Ivy thought to herself miserably, realizing that Alexis must have had this planned from the beginning.

Once Alexis had left, Zane immediately became all business. "Alexis has already explained your situation to me. From what I've surmised, your biggest problem is your fear of your opponent's facedown cards around the end of a duel. While it can pay to be cautious and not let yourself walk into a wall of traps, there will also be times when you will need to take a risk in order to proceed. I can teach you about just when those times are and how you can tell what your opponent might be planning. But ultimately, there is a lot more ground that we will need to cover in order for you to be ready for anything. That's why I took the liberty of making this before I came here tonight." Zane explained. He then took out an incredibly thick stack of printed paper and set it down on the table in front of them. It looked hundreds of pages long.

"Um, okay." Ivy said apprehensively. Homework was one thing, but this looked like an absolute nightmare. Clearly, Alexis hadn't been kidding when she said that Zane took this seriously.

"Good. I'll read everything to you and then go over it in detail after each part. Feel free to ask me any questions if you're having trouble understanding anything." Zane said.

Xxx

Over two hours later, Ivy found herself beginning to question whether Zane was actually human. He had been continuously reading aloud from the huge pack of papers, barely pausing for a breath in between his sentences. At first, it had actually been somewhat helpful, but now, Ivy was struggling just to keep her eyes open as Zane droned on in the same dry, monotonous tone that he had been using almost the entire time since they had met here tonight.

"Chapter 114, part 292…" Zane started to say before Ivy finally decided that she could not take another second of this torture tonight.

"Please, can we take a break?" Ivy practically begged.

For a moment, Zane looked surprised. Then, he took a quick glance at the clock on the wall before replying. "Oh. I didn't even realize how much time had passed. I apologize for that. I'm not really used to teaching, and I think that I forgot how difficult this format might be for some people if they are not used to it. I made all of this based on how I study by myself without really considering that it might not be the right method for other students. You can take a break if you need to, just let me know if you're ready to continue or are ready to head back." He said.

"Okay, thanks." Ivy said appreciatively.

Without another word, Zane opened a book and started to read, completely ignoring Ivy's presence.

"Um, wait. Can I ask you something?" Ivy asked awkwardly, hoping that Zane would take the time to answer the one question that had been bothering her since the first time they had met each other last week.

"Okay." Zane answered in a slightly suspicious tone since he had a feeling that this had nothing to do with dueling instruction.

"When we first met, you said that it was dangerous to be outside at night, but you never explained why. Just what is really going on here at night? You made it sound like it's not just boogeymen lurking the corners. Please, I have a right to know about what's going on since I kind of live here." Ivy insisted.

Zane sighed in annoyance. _Out of everything she could ask, of course it has to be about THAT._ He thought to himself.

"Okay. Since you are probably more likely than anyone else to ignore my warnings and wander around at night anyway, I'll tell you." Zane said reluctantly.

"Okay, good. So just what is the deal with nighttime here!?" Ivy pressed.

"What I'm about to tell you does not leave this room and I'm not trying to scare you, but we have several students who have gone missing on this island. And it always happens at night." Zane explained seriously.

Ivy couldn't help feeling a little shocked at Zane's response. "But if that's true, then how is this school even still open!? I mean, hasn't there been any kind of investigation from outside in order to find out what's been going on?" She asked, totally perplexed.

"Strangely enough, no. At least none that I have heard about." Zane admitted.

"But that's…awful. They are just pretending that everything is fine when it isn't!" Ivy said.

"Exactly. But since it only seems to happen at night, the least they can do is warn everyone." Zane said.

"But then what about you? If you know it's so dangerous, then what makes you think that you are safe from whatever is happening?" Ivy asked curiously.

"One of the students who disappeared is a good friend of mine. I've been trying to find out what I can in order to try to help him and everyone else who disappeared. Because if I don't, it doesn't look like anyone else will try. I owe it to him to do what I can to help." Zane explained.

"Heh, and here I thought that you were just trying to look cool… I'm really sorry about your friend. It's really brave of you to try to help like that. I would be doing the same thing if it were me." Ivy said.

To Ivy's surprise, Zane actually smiled. "I don't know if I would call it "brave". I'm just doing what I can to try to help. But thank you for saying that. Just remember not to tell anyone else about this. Alexis already knows about it, but that is it." He said.

Ivy thought back to her first night at school, remembering how reluctant Alexis had been when she had told her that she was going for a walk at night around the island, and how worried she was when it had taken Ivy a few hours to get back. She had known about this all along. But Ivy also had a feeling that there was something else that she was missing here.

"Thanks for explaining everything to me. I won't say anything to anyone about it, I promise." Ivy said.

"Good. I think we've been here enough tonight, though. Let's call it quits. It's late, so I'll walk you back from here." Zane said.

"You don't need to do that. I can get back fine on my own." Ivy insisted politely.

"Yes, I do. Now let's go." Zane said firmly.

Realizing that there would be no arguing with Zane, Ivy rolled her eyes and followed him out of the library.

Xxx

There had been no conversation between Zane and Ivy during the walk from the school building to the Obelisk Blue girls' dorm. But once they reached the front door, Ivy decided to say something.

"Thanks for all of your help tonight. I know that it looked like I wasn't paying attention for a long time, but believe me when I say that a lot of the things you said actually did make sense. Well, before the chapters hit the 30-something mark, that is." Ivy said.

"Don't worry about it. You're the first person who has actually listened to any of that. You can keep the papers we went over today and I'll make something a bit easier for tomorrow." Zane said.

"Tomorrow?" Ivy asked in surprise.

"Yes. We still have a long way to go. If that's alright with you." Zane said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Same time tomorrow night then?" Ivy asked.

"Sure, I'll be there." Zane answered.

"Okay. Well, goodnight then. I'll see you tomorrow night." Ivy said.

Zane simply turned around and started walking away in the opposite direction, his hand raised in a quick wave goodbye.

Once Ivy had made her way back inside, she stood in front of the inside entrance for a moment, thinking to herself.

 _Alexis was right. He really isn't a jerk. Just a bit…different._ Ivy thought to herself with a smile.


	3. Chapter 3

As more time passed by, Ivy's life at the academy seemed to follow a pattern: classes, assigned duels, study sessions at the library with Zane, and hanging out with Alexis and (to Ivy's surprise) Zane himself. Whether it was mealtimes, while they were doing homework or even just to hang out and watch a movie or something, Ivy hadn't failed to notice how Zane had casually inserted himself into their "group" ever since he had started tutoring her. Ivy didn't think much of it, though. From what she had already seen, Alexis and Zane were already familiar with each other to some degree. She just didn't know how they knew each other from the start of the school year with Alexis being a first year student. Either way, it didn't really matter to Ivy. Zane rarely talked about himself and it seemed like he preferred it that way.

"So, it sounds like you've got yourself a nice win streak going these days, Ivy. I saw you're a couple of your duels on the school's channel and they were really great. I'm wondering if I should be worried…" Alexis complimented Ivy while joking slightly with her last sentence.

"Eh, heh… Thanks. But I don't think I was that great. I just learned to tell myself that it isn't the end of the world if I lose." Ivy said ruefully.

"She's right, though. You have improved a lot since we first started." Zane said.

"Um, thanks." Ivy answered with slight embarrassment. For how hard Zane made her study every night, she felt like his compliment had to mean that she was doing something right.

"And if Zane says that you are good, then you are definitely on the right track!" Alexis said.

"I hope so. I'm just glad that I don't have to worry about flunking anymore because of this. The duels are such a pain!" Ivy said without thinking. She realized too late how odd what she had just said sounded and was met by surprised looks from both Alexis and Zane.

"You don't like dueling?" Alexis asked in confusion.

"I…guess not." Ivy admitted uncomfortably.

"No offense, but…why are you here then?" Alexis asked carefully.

"Well, my parents travel a lot for work and they had been looking into some kind of boarding school for me for a long time. I've always loved the outdoors and when they found out that this place was on an island, I guess they just decided that I would like living here. But honestly, I don't know where they got the dueling idea from. I used to play the game with my brother a lot, but that didn't mean that I loved it or anything. But it's okay here now." Ivy said hurriedly, hoping that her explanation would please them.

"So, your parents travel around a lot for their jobs? That sounds interesting. What do they do?" Alexis pressed.

"Oh, nothing near as exciting as you think. It's just selling insurance and other boring stuff like that." Ivy said nonchalantly.

"Oh. Will we ever get to meet them on Family Day?" Alexis asked.

"Probably not. They don't get to choose what days to take off." Ivy said. Alexis' probing was making her increasingly nervous.

"But what do- Alexis started to say before Zane interrupted her.

"Alexis." Zane said quietly yet firmly. He looked her straight in the eye and shook his head, signaling for her to stop.

Alexis seemed to have finally realized that she had gone too far with her questions. She turned to Ivy and gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have went on like that… It's okay if you don't want to talk about that." Alexis apologized.

"Um, no. It's okay. You didn't know. But thanks for saying that. Sometimes I just really hate how things are with them, that's all. We pretty much live through phone calls and texts. In fact, I was supposed to call them before dinner, so I better go do that right now before they start to worry. I'll see you guys later!" Ivy said. She then proceeded to leave the dining hall.

For a moment, Alexis and Zane were silent. Then, Zane finally spoke up. "You shouldn't have pushed her like that. It was obvious that she was uncomfortable with that topic." He practically scolded Alexis.

"Okay, so maybe I went too far. But can't you see that something is wrong here? Ivy never talks about her family on her own. And it's not just that. When we first got here, they had to tailor the uniform just so that it would fit her, even though it was already the smallest size we have. During the first few meals here, she got sick and had to leave the room. It was as if she hadn't been used to having regular meals for a long time. I'm telling you, there is something wrong here that Ivy hasn't told us about. Call me crazy, but it's almost as if she came to this school to…escape from something. Shouldn't we be trying to help her?" Alexis said worriedly.

"Not unless she wants us to. I understand that you are only trying to help Ivy, but this isn't our business. Besides, it's not like we aren't hiding things about our lives as well. The important thing is that she is safe here. We'll just have to wait until she trusts us more, that's all." Zane said.

"Okay. I just hope that it's nothing bad…" Alexis trailed off.

Xxx

After she had found a deserted corridor, Ivy leaned against the wall and tried to prevent herself from mentally replaying the conversation that she had just had with Alexis in the dining hall about five minutes earlier.

 _That was too close. I almost…_ Ivy started to think to herself until she stopped herself. Breathing hard, she took her cell phone out of her pocket and started to send a text to the all-too familiar number that was listed in her contacts.

 **Hey, guys! Just wanted to let you know again that school is a blast and I'm having the time of my life here! So much in fact, that I think I don't even want to come home now! (Just kidding! Xd) Miss you and Dad a lot! Love, Ivy. BTW, tell Kyle that I said hi! (Maybe… xd)** Ivy texted. After she was done, she put her cell phone back in her pocket and took a few deep breaths; calming herself down. She had performed this whole process so many times now, and she always felt better after it was over.

"Hey." A voice interrupted Ivy's thought. She turned around to find Zane standing not too far away from her.

"Oh, um, hi. I didn't see you there." Ivy answered awkwardly, hoping against hope that Zane had not just witnessed her bizarre ritual.

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to scare you again, I promise." Zane said with a slight smile, making a slight joke about their first meeting at the lighthouse.

Ivy smiled back ruefully. "Don't worry, I'm prepared for that now!" She joked.

"I just came to see if you were alright. I know that Alexis made you uncomfortable with her questions, but I talked to her and she realizes now that she went too far in there. She wasn't trying to pry, so don't let it worry you, okay?" Zane said.

"That's okay. I'm not mad at her. It's just not something I like to talk about that much." Ivy said reassuringly.

"Well… If you ever do want to talk about anything, we're here. I respect a person's privacy just as much as anyone should, but at the same time, I wanted to let you know that I am willing to help if you need it. That's all." Zane said.

"Thanks, Zane. That's really nice of you. And Alexis, too." Ivy said somewhat hurriedly. Her face had turned slightly red after hearing Zane's offer. Was this really the same guy who had made her sit through hours of boring Duel Monsters lectures with homework every night?

"Sure. I should be going now, though. I still need to print out your new notes for tonight." Zane said.

 _On second thought, maybe I'm just imagining things after all…_ Ivy thought to herself, dreading more of Zane's "homework".

"Heh, sounds like a blast." Ivy said with a sarcastic grin.

"Good. Then that means that you won't mind if I add an extra chapter to it." Zane said with a smile, beating Ivy at her own game.

Ivy sighed in defeat. "Whatever. I'll see you in a few hours." She said grudgingly.

Zane simply walked away in the opposite direction, still wearing a smile on his face.

Ivy breathed a sigh of relief once Zane was gone. _That guy is insufferable…_ She thought to herself ruefully. However, at the same time, she couldn't help smiling herself.


	4. Chapter 4

Ivy walked around the school grounds at a leisurely pace, enjoying the warmth of the day caused by the sun's rays from the crystal blue sky above. The island was truly was one of the most beautiful scenic locations that she had been to in her life, and more than anything else, it was her favorite part about being at Duel Academy, not studying dueling itself.

As she reached the Obelisk girls' dorm, Ivy saw Alexis standing near the entrance, deep in conversation with two boys. One had brown hair and eyes, while the other shorter boy had light blue hair and gray eyes behind his glasses. They were both wearing the Slifer Red uniform.

Ivy was slightly surprised to see Alexis conversing with students from outside of Obelisk, especially boys. While Alexis was anything but snobby, the fact was that she mostly did not interact with the male student population aside from Zane due to the mostly unhealthy obsession that so many of them had with her. So to see her chatting so amicably with a couple of them, much less ones from another dorm, was something of a surprise to Ivy.

"I'm telling you, just because its smaller doesn't mean that its worse than the other dorms. It just makes it more, uh, what is the word? Homey. Yeah, that's it! We got a sweet view from the balcony, the ocean is right there, and Professor Banner is a great cook. And we're also the only dorm that has a cat! Trust me, Pharaoh wouldn't be there if there was anywhere better to live!" The boy with the brown hair said excitedly, causing Alexis to laugh lightly. Ivy couldn't help noticing that Alexis had a more relaxed, cheerful expression that she hadn't seen her with around anyone else.

"Hey, Lex! How's it going? Care to introduce me to your friends here?" Ivy asked cheerfully, giving her friend a somewhat mischievous look after a quick glance at the brown-haired boy.

"Sure! This is Jaden and Syrus. Guys, this is Ivy. She lives next door to me." Alexis introduced everyone.

"Nice to meet you two." Ivy said politely.

"You, too! Say, if you're friends with Lex, then you must be a pretty good duelist! What do you say we get our game on!?" Jaden asked excitedly.

Ivy eyed Jaden nervously. Now that she knew his name, she remembered how she had heard of Jaden before. He was the student who had defeated Dr. Crowler during the entrance exam. He was also slowly making his way up the ranks due to his wins against Chazz Princeton and even Alexis herself. Ivy already didn't enjoy dueling very much and if there was ever someone that she should be wary of as a duelist, it most certainly was this boy. At the rate Jaden was going with his wins, the only duelist here who could pose a threat to him was Zane himself.

"Sorry, Jaden. But I don't think that I'm up for a duel right now. I'm still trying to practice making my deck better." Ivy apologized.

"No duel? Well… I had to ask." Jaden said sadly. It looked as if he couldn't possibly fathom the idea of anyone _not_ wanting to duel.

"Ivy is still getting used to dueling. But if she ever changes her mind, I think you guys would have a lot of fun. Her deck is something else!" Alexis said lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, really? What kind of deck do you run, Ivy? If you don't mind my asking, of course." Jaden asked with interest.

"It's a plant-based deck with a strong focus on Aromages. They're my favorite monsters." Ivy answered fondly.

"I don't think I've heard of those before… But it would sure be awesome to duel against someone using a plant deck! I haven't dueled anyone here who uses one." Jaden said thoughtfully.

"Believe me, Jaden. I've seen Ivy duel before, so you might actually be glad that you haven't. Once those Aromages get going, they can hit hard and fast. They only _look_ cute and innocent!" Alexis warned Jaden.

"You know that I only want to duel something _more_ when I hear that it is stronger. Right, Alexis?" Jaden asked with a smile.

"You would…" Alexis said with a defeated smile.

"Anyway, we were thinking of going up to the water closer to the Slifer dorm to do some fishing. Wanna come with us, Ivy?" Jaden offered.

"Yeah! I love fishing! My big brother takes me with him all the time!" Ivy said excitedly.

"Well, then that's settled! Let's go, guys!" Jaden said cheerfully.

Xxx

Once they arrived at the shore, they split up into groups of two. While Jaden was explaining to Alexis how to bait the fishing line, Ivy stood with Syrus on the other end of the dock, trying to find a way to break the awkward silence between them.

"Um, about what Alexis said earlier… You know, about you not enjoying duels? Well… I just wanted you to know that I get where you're coming from. It's not that I don't want to be a duelist, but the competition here ends up making me pretty nervous and it's hard. I just barely made it in here as it is. So, you don't have to worry about me ever challenging you at least." Syrus spoke up quietly. It was the first time he had said anything to Ivy since Alexis had introduced him to her.

Ivy smiled gratefully at Syrus. "Thanks. But as long as you like dueling, I think that you could end up getting better at this than you think, Syrus. Since my parents pretty much forced me to come here, I'm mostly just here for the scenery! But some people here like Zane and that Chazz guy are dead serious about making a career out of this." She said.

"Wait. So, do you really know Zane? I know that Alexis is friends with him, but I didn't know whether you were or not even though you are friends with her." Syrus asked.

"Well… I wouldn't say that I exactly "know" Zane very well. He tutors me in Duel Monsters and sometimes hangs out with me and Alexis. But he's not the most social guy in the world. He's nice enough though, I suppose." Ivy explained.

"You're still really lucky. Zane is the best duelist in the whole school! During the whole time that he's been here, he's never once lost a duel, even against the professors! It's amazing! Everyone's expecting him to go pro easily once he graduates this year!" Syrus babbled excitedly.

Ivy had already seen firsthand the type of respect and admiration that Zane had earned on campus. But this was different somehow. The way Syrus' eyes had shone as he went on seemed like more than the typical fanboy compliments. There was something else besides admiration here. It felt as if there was a kind of…warmth in Syrus' expression when he talked about Zane. Maybe she was just imagining it?

"He's amazing alright. Until he starts giving you ten pages of homework every night…" Ivy said with a humorless smile.

Before Syrus could respond, Jaden started shouting. "Heeey! I got a bite! And it feels like this is a big one!" He said frantically as he attempted to reel in his catch.

Jaden pulled on his line and reeled it in. A huge, ugly fish slammed onto the deck and started flopping around like crazy.

Alexis, Ivy, and Syrus all screamed bloody murder when they saw the monstrosity that Jaden had caught. It was bigger than his hand and had huge bulging eyes and whiskers.

"PUT IT BACK! PUT IT BACK!" Alexis yelled in terror.

"Right! Putting it back right now!" Jaden answered in a panicky voice, not sure how to proceed. He tried in vain to drag the fish towards the edge of the deck.

Before things could get any crazier, a very overweight cat ran onto the deck. It then promptly sank its teeth into the fish and tossed it into the water from its mouth. Along with Jaden's fishing pole.

"Nice save there, Pharaoh. But now it looks like I'll need to buy a new fishing rod. I'm not taking my chances going after that guy for it." Jaden said soberly. The others all sighed in relief, simply glad that the creature was gone. Somehow, it looked like they wouldn't be fishing again anytime soon after that experience.

Xxx

That night during another tutoring session with Zane, Ivy found her mind wandering back to the day's earlier field trip. She liked being outside a lot more than indoors. In her opinion, it was much safer and freer out in the open with lots of space to traverse. When you were stuck inside the walls of a building, it was too confining and easy to get trapped. Despite how most people usually felt safer in their own homes, to Ivy, it just felt more dangerous. There was less of a chance that someone could hear you and come to your aid when you were trapped behind an enclosure of manmade materials, with less space to even run.

 _Don't even think about that. Remember, it didn't happen. It wasn't real._ Ivy mentally scolded herself.

"You are distracted. This is the third time that I've gone over this page now. What is the problem?" Zane asked. He didn't sound irritated, but he wasn't exactly thrilled with Ivy's lack of attention either.

"Oh, ah, sorry. I guess I am. It's just that I had such a good time today with Alexis and Jaden and Syrus. The island's really a good place for fishing. Maybe a little too good." Ivy answered as she quickly shifted away from her darker thoughts. She had already told Zane about Jaden and Syrus, but he hadn't seemed very interested. Maybe if he let her explain what happened today, Zane would show a little more interest in broadening his social horizons. At least that was what Ivy hoped for.

"Hey, why don't you come with us next time? We're planning on going out to the volcano tomorrow for lunch." Ivy offered.

"I'm sorry, but I'll basically be spending all day studying tomorrow. I need to catch up after this week." Zane said simply.

Ivy frowned. As if Zane wasn't already doing well enough in his classes already. She was pretty sure that he didn't need to take a whole _day_ off for studying.

"Oh, okay. Well, maybe next time then." Ivy said with forced enthusiasm. Zane didn't reply with words, choosing instead to make a vague "hm" sound as he kept his eyes on the book in front of him. Ivy sighed internally and decided to give it up for today.

Xxx

Days passed by with the same pattern. Ivy and Alexis continued to hang out with Jaden and Syrus during the day, and Zane never accompanied them. Ivy still tried asking Zane each time if he wanted to join them, but he always seemed to have some new excuse for not coming along. Whether it was homework, duels, his class valedictorian duties, or even lame things like cleaning out his dorm room, he always had an out. It was happening so much now that Ivy was becoming convinced that Zane was hiding some other reason as to why he didn't want to join them. But try as she may, Ivy couldn't figure out just what it was. Zane never had any problems when it was just her and Alexis, so why was this so different? Ivy didn't want to even consider the possibility, but a part of her wondered if Zane was saying no due to Jaden and Syrus being Slifers. She didn't want to think that Zane was really like that. After all, nobody had ever said anything that hinted at him being elitist. But just because he was polite in public didn't necessarily mean that he felt that way about the lower ranked students. Even after all this time, Ivy realized that she still didn't really know much about Zane as a person.

"-never wants to come with us and I just want to know _why_." Ivy finished ranting to Alexis. It was Monday and they were standing in the school halls for the short five-minute break until gym class started.

"Maybe outdoor expeditions just aren't the Kaiser's thing." Alexis said with a shrug of her shoulders. She didn't seem very surprised with Zane's recent behavior.

"Hmm… Or maybe because he's jealous since you've been spending so much time with Jaden lately, but he's too embarrassed to say anything about it!" Ivy teased her friend with a sly smile.

"What!? You must be joking!" Alexis spluttered. Her face had turned bright red from Ivy's suggestion.

"Oh, come on! Zane's been glued to you since this year started. You can't tell me that _something_ isn't going on there! Not many third years would hang out with a freshman so much." Ivy insisted.

"Speak for yourself. Zane spends a lot more time with you than me. And we're not like that at all." Alexis said, turning it back around on Ivy.

"That's only because he's tutoring me. But I guess this means that Jaden has a chance with you now, huh?" Ivy said mercilessly.

"Not a chance! I'm only interested in dueling!" Alexis said firmly, still feeling more than a little embarrassed from Ivy's teasing.

"Whatever you say. Either way, at least Jaden and Syrus know how to have a good time. Much better than Zane's idea of fun, a.k.a, more boring times at the library. He could learn a thing or two from them!" Ivy said without thinking.

"Um, I think he heard you…" Alexis said quietly. Zane-who had been standing behind them long enough to hear what Ivy had said-was now walking away in the other direction.

 _Damn it! Me and my big mouth! Why did I have to say that!?_ Ivy thought to herself in frustration. She had only been joking when she had said that, but Zane probably hadn't seen it that way.

Xxx

"So, here's where you were! You're not easy to catch up with, Truesdale!" Ivy joked after she finally caught up to Zane in another hallway. She tried to keep her voice light and breezy, as if nothing had happened.

"Class is in five minutes." Zane replied in his usual emotionless tone.

"I know, I just… Look, I'm sorry about what I said back there. It was really just a joke. I didn't mean for you to hear it like that." Ivy apologized.

"No offense taken." Zane replied simply. But another part of him couldn't help wondering if there had been any truth behind Ivy's words.

 _Does she really think that I'm that boring? And why am I even bothered by this?_ Zane wondered to himself.

"Good… I just want to know why you don't want to do anything with Jaden and Syrus! And don't even try to make up another excuse, especially after yesterday! Because I know for a fact that you did not have any exhibition duels scheduled then. Your name wasn't on the chart anywhere." Ivy said.

"Just because it wasn't on the schedule doesn't mean that I didn't have a duel." Zane replied matter-of-factly as he tried to dodge the subject again.

"No, Zane. That doesn't work anymore. I can tell that you're lying. So just what is the problem here? Is it because they're Slifers?" Ivy paused before asking the last question.

"No! How can you even think that of me!?" Zane asked in surprise, clearly offended by Ivy's question.

"I didn't think that was it, and I do believe that you are not like that, Zane. I just can't find any explanations that make sense." Ivy said.

When Zane didn't reply, Ivy continued. "Look, whatever it is, you don't have to tell me if you really don't want to. After all, you already agreed to respect my privacy, so I should do the same. I'm sorry that I forgot about that. Just don't lie to me, that is all I ask." She said.

"Thanks for understanding. It's not that I don't want to tell you. I guess that I'm just not ready to right now. Either way, you're going to find out eventually. Actually, I'm surprised that you haven't already figured it out." Zane said. His smile somehow looked a little sad to Ivy.

"Well, I suppose that's fine then. Thanks, Zane." Ivy said with a smile. She was about to turn around and leave for class when Zane spoke up again.

"And, uh, also… I just wanted to say that, um, I can be fun, too." Zane said somewhat awkwardly before he lost his nerve.

Ivy couldn't suppress a smile. Seeing Zane trying to sound so serious while he fumbled for words like this was actually kind of cute in a way. At least for him.

"Oh? Then why don't you just show me _how_ then, Mr. Truesdale?" Ivy asked in a teasing tone.

It took Zane a few seconds to compose himself before answering. "Okay. Then why don't you meet me after class today by the harbor? We can take the ferry into the city." He offered.

"You got yourself a deal, Zane!" Ivy agreed.

As she walked off to class, Ivy couldn't stop herself from grinning ear to ear. _This should be interesting…_ She thought to herself in amusement.

 **AN: For all those who were reading this story, I apologize for the long absence. I was busy and then started working on other new stories, too. And for some reason, I have had the most terrible case of writer's block with this chapter. Things should pick up now, though.**


	5. Chapter 5

When Ivy took the ferry into the city with Zane at his invitation, she hadn't a guess at where he would want to go. So, she was surprised when she his first idea of what "fun" was.

 _The Kaiser likes…clocks?_ Ivy thought to herself in surprise as she gazed around the small shop. It contained a lot of large antique grandfather clocks in various styles. But there was also fair amount of hanging wall and small alarm clocks, some in more modern styles than others.

"I didn't think that you'd be into this so much. You always struck me more as the watch kind of guy since those are easier to look at with how much you do with all the duels and studying." Ivy commented thoughtfully.

"That's quite observant of you. But I like clocks, too. I don't know. I guess the way that they're just always there in the background makes me feel…peaceful. Like nothing bad can happen as long as you're around one by yourself." Zane explained.

"Huh. I guess when you put it that way it makes sense. Settling down with a good book and some tea while a clock just ticks in the background." Ivy said.

As Zane was about to reply, the store owner approached them and began to speak. "Oh, Mr. Truesdale! Good to see you back again! You came at the perfect time. Just yesterday we received our new shipment and I think it contains something you may like. Care to take a look?" He offered.

"Sure, Allen. I was in the market to find something new, anyway." Zane said gratefully.

Allen led Zane and Ivy towards the left corner of the shop. Once they were there, he pointed towards an old rectangular-shaped face wall clock with roman numerals and a wooden frame surrounding it. Beside each numeral was an intricately painted flower, with a different one for each hour. Along with that, the wood was a nicely aged pale brown shade. It was classic, but at the same time, also had class. Ivy could see why Allen would recommend it.

"What do you think?" Allen asked with a smile as he gauged Zane's reaction.

"I like it. It has character thanks to its age. But at the same time, the design isn't trying too hard like some others who look as if they jump out at you too much." Zane commented, almost mimicking Ivy's thoughts.

"Hmm, yes. I thought that this one might agree with your taste. So, what do you say? Interested in a purchase today?" Allen asked hopefully.

"Normally, I'd say yes. But I'm afraid I'm running a bit short at the moment. How does layaway sound instead for this time?" Zane enquired.

"I see. Running on a budget to entertain your lady friend better, Mr. Truesdale?" Allen teased slyly.

"No. I really don't have enough for it right now." Zane answered shortly, dismissing Allen's suggestion completely.

"Well, for my best customer, I can definitely work out a gradual payment plan. Just follow me to the counter when you're ready." Allen said.

Xxx

Not long after they had left the clock shop, Zane took Ivy to a small café with an outdoor eating area in the back facing the ocean. He had bought them both fruit smoothies, which somewhat went against what he had denied to Allen about his financial state.

As she sat at the small umbrella table across from Zane and sipped her drink, Ivy gazed at the scenery across from them. They faced the ocean, but it was a shallower area with less waves. In fact, the whole part of the city they were in seemed a lot calmer than the rest of Domino City.

"It sure is a lot quieter around here." Ivy commented.

"This is the bay side of Domino City. Since its on the opposite part of the main harbor area where the water is calmer, there's much less traffic. There's not as many stores and the homes are a bit more secluded, but I like because it's more peaceful. I think I'd probably like to have a place by the water here after I graduate. A nice, small house by the water here would be perfect." Zane said.

"But aren't you going to become a pro duelist after you graduate? You'd be travelling a lot." Ivy asked.

"True, but I would still be here a fair amount of time since the regional matches would be right here in town." Zane answered.

"Well, then I guess it sounds nice…" Ivy said somewhat vaguely.

"What's wrong?" Zane asked curiously.

Ivy sighed glumly before answering Zane's question. "It's just that…it's easy for you and everyone else at school because you actually _want_ to duel. But what am I going to do once I graduate?" She asked seriously.

"Well, you'd still have a standard high school education after graduation despite the fact the heavy curriculum on dueling. I don't know how good of a college you would be able to get into with it, though. But just because it's more about Duel Monsters doesn't necessarily mean that dueling is the only thing you could as a career with it." Zane explained.

"Really? But what else is there?" Ivy asked curiously.

"Lots of things. Some people go on to work as card designers for companies like Industrial Illusions. Or you could get a position in sales or advertising with how popular the game is. And with all the new cards constantly being added, I'm sure there's need for things having to do with databases and keeping track of all the information about card effects and such. And I'm sure there could be even more than what I've already mentioned. So, you don't need to worry about being limited to dueling, Ivy." Zane explained, grinning a bit at the last part of his speech as he recalled her somewhat amusing ramblings of frustration about practice and test duels. She had come a way a bit as a duelist now that she didn't get as nervous as before. But that didn't mean that she enjoyed it any more than before, though.

"Thank god for that! I don't know what I'd want to do for sure, but at least now I feel like there's some light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks, Zane." Ivy said gratefully.

"If I may ask, just what is it about dueling that seems to frustrate you so much?" Zane asked carefully.

Ivy paused for a moment before answering. She was recalling a memory from a while back as she considered Zane's question.

Begin flashback:

" _-and once that is over, we go to main phase 2, which is pretty much the same as main phase 1. But what you need to remember is-" Ivy's older brother, Kyle, began to finish his explanation before he was cut off by her._

" _There's still MORE!? B-o-o-ring! It's too hard! I don't want to play this game anymore; it's too much like school! Why can't we just kill everything and not do all the other stuff!? I thought that's what this game was for!" The eight-year-old complained in frustration._

 _Kyle couldn't help chuckling a little at his sister's reaction. "Because then it wouldn't come down only to who has the stronger monsters. With things like spells, traps, and monster effects, and knowing when to use them, it's more about how you play the game. Whatever way of combining these things works best for you can make it feel like you have your own style. You know, like what type of clothes you like or how you like to draw a picture. If you can win with a deck that makes you feel like you, it's more satisfying." He explained gently._

" _And does your deck make you feel more…you?" Ivy asked somewhat confusedly, still trying to understand Kyle's words better._

" _Maybe you'll start seeing how it does if we have a duel. We don't have to follow all the rules this time. What do you say?" Kyle offered._

" _Hmm… Okay! But only if you let me stop at the ice cream place after!" Ivy said determinedly._

" _You strike a hard bargain there, Sis. But I think we can work that out." Kyle said with a smile._

" _Yaay!" Ivy cheered happily._

End Flashback

"When I was a little kid, it was mainly because I just didn't have the patience for everything that goes with the game. But once I got older, I just hated how it made winning or losing just seem so…final. It's not like something where you know you can do well if you're good at it or studied enough. In a duel, someone always has to win, and someone always has to lose. I guess I just don't feel like I'm in control of it as much when there's always a possibility that you can lose, no matter how hard you tried." Ivy explained.

"In other words, when something is dependent on the outcome of a duel like it here for you with the entrance exam to get in and getting decent grades with the practical duels, it adds pressure for you. You feel less anxious when you have more control over something. I know the feeling." Zane said.

"With duels? How can you say that when you _always_ win?" Ivy argued.

"Because I don't like thinking of what could happen if I _didn't_." Zane said seriously.

"Well, I'd be surprised if that ever happened! And now that I think of it, just what kind of deck do you use anyway!? Maybe if I had it, I wouldn't ever lose either!" Ivy said, joking a bit at the last part.

"You couldn't use my deck." Zane said simply.

"Why not? I'm not saying I'd copy it card for card." Ivy protested.

"Because it's mine." Zane answered, refusing to elaborate any further.

 _Maybe it's because he really knows what Kyle meant. Having a deck that makes you feel more like you…_ Ivy thought to herself.

"And even if you did, it wouldn't necessarily mean that you could win as much as I do with it. There's a difference between knowing how to play a card and knowing how to _use_ it. And that's something that some people have yet to understand…" Zane said. His face darkened a bit during the last part of his speech, as if he was remembering something that bothered him.

Xxx

A couple hours after Ivy and Zane had gotten back to the island, Ivy was walking down the hall towards her room in the girls' dorm when Alexis caught up with her.

"Hey, where were you today? I thought you were going to the library after class, but then I couldn't find you there or around here, so I gave up." Alexis said.

"Oh, sorry about that. Me and Zane took the ferry into town and hung out for a while around the bay, nothing major. But I guess I should have called you earlier. Sorry, Lex." Ivy explained apologetically.

Alexis stood still, her mouth hanging slightly open in shock. It was as if her brain was having trouble processing what Ivy had just said.

"Um, Lex, are you okay in there?" Ivy asked.

"Yeah. But "nothing major"? Ivy, Zane has never left campus to hang out with someone before. Ever. This is _totally_ major. For him to choose to do that with you must mean he likes you better than anyone else here." Alexis said carefully.

"Wait, what are you saying!? Zane just wanted to prove to me that he wasn't the boring study hall guy that we know so well. And he did. Today was actually pretty surprising with what I found out. But it's not like it was a date or anything!" Ivy explained somewhat hurriedly. Despite herself, she couldn't help blushing a little.

"Hmm, I don't know about that… Seems like the Kaiser is starting to let you get up close and personal with him. I never thought I'd see the day, that's for sure!" Alexis said teasingly.

"Eh, whatever! It's not like he's my type anyway!" Ivy insisted. After giving a quick wave to Alexis, she made her way back to her room, still feeling a bit flustered.

 _The whole idea is completely ridiculous! Zane and I are just friends and nothing more! And it's not like he'd ever feel that way about me anyway with how much I get on his nerves!_ Ivy told herself firmly. But at the same time, a small part of her wondered just what it would be like if he did.


End file.
